Chapter 22: The Erguotou Born Two Thousand Years Ago

Chapter 22: The Birth of Erguotou Two Thousand Years Ago

Cao Peng’s business quickly flourished. To prevent his secret recipe from leaking, he implemented multiple layers of security. He recruited countless craftsmen from various places, but only had each work on separate parts of the required equipment, leaving the final assembly to himself. For the necessary chemical reactions of the materials, he assigned different tasks to different people, reserving the core process for his own hands.

With ample manpower from the army and the ability to forge any tools he needed, his path was smooth and unimpeded. After several weeks of diligent research, the first batch of Erguotou was finally ready.

Cao Peng brought Cao Ang and Dian Wei to the wine cellar, a space that Dian Wei had ordered to be excavated. Cao Peng had several containers brought out, clear and sparkling, resembling cups made of moonlight. These were the only glass cups he had left in his outdoor backpack.

He unscrewed the lid, and a rich aroma of alcohol instantly filled the room, enveloping everyone in its intoxicating scent.

“My heavens, even immortals would be heartbroken at such fragrance!” Dian Wei rubbed his hands, grinning, saliva nearly dripping from his mouth.

Few army officers were indifferent to wine, and Dian Wei was especially passionate, loving good liquor as dearly as his own life.

“Captain Dian, come, taste it and see how it is.” Cao Peng, amused by Dian Wei’s eager expression, handed his wine bowl to him.

Dian Wei excitedly took the cup, inhaling deeply. The aroma was intense and unfamiliar, and the container itself was crystalline, unlike anything he had ever seen. He raised the cup and drained it in one gulp.

At first, a fiery sensation burned his throat, nearly making him tear up. Moments later, the heat transformed into a warm current rampaging through his stomach and intestines. The alcohol surged, and Dian Wei let out a satisfied belch.

“This wine is simply the finest on earth!”

Dian Wei was a rough man, incapable of expressing his satisfaction with flowery words.

“Haha, didn’t I tell you before? Once this succeeds, you all will have a feast.” Cao Peng’s face was full of pride.

Soon, Cao Ang also drank the wine. Not accustomed to drinking, he was choked, his face turning bright red, but he shouted in delight nonetheless.

After that night, Cao Peng’s Erguotou entered mass production. Cao Ang began to move, using his connections to sell Erguotou into the homes of nobles and aristocrats.

Though everything was conducted with utmost discretion, there are no walls that cannot be penetrated. Eventually, someone caught wind of the affair.

The leak came from a soldier in Dian Wei’s camp. This soldier had previously benefited from Cao Pi, acting as his informant in the army. At first, he paid little attention to the brewing of wine with military rations—though a violation of military discipline, the perpetrators were Dian Wei and Cao Ang, so even if reported to Cao Cao, it might come to nothing.

But they were not only brewing wine with military grain, they were running a business, selling the product to nobles throughout the city. That, now, was valuable information.

At the residence of Cao Pi.

Cao Pi held a cricket cage in his hands, accompanied by several household servants. Everyone was lively, engrossed in the battle of crickets inside the cage.

“Black Overlord, bite him!”
“Go, Invincible General!”
“Victory! Victory!”
“Ah…”

Those who won their bets were naturally overjoyed, while those who lost looked crestfallen.

On idle days, Cao Pi always presented himself as a typical wastrel in public. This was intentional—it was his way of survival.

“Master, master…”
A servant, panting, hurried over to Cao Pi and his companions.

Cao Pi rebuked him, “Why are you so flustered? Compose yourself and speak clearly!”

“Master, news has come from the army…”

The servant glanced at those around, and Cao Pi’s companions quickly took the hint and excused themselves.

“All right, everyone’s gone, speak.”

“Master, I heard…”

The servant relayed everything he had learned from the soldier, word for word, to Cao Pi.

Cao Pi’s expression was uncertain, shifting between light and dark.

“Brewing wine with military grain is a violation of discipline. But if the scale is small, even if Father finds out, he might turn a blind eye…”

“No, Master, their operation is already vast. In this city of Xu, every noble family has bought their wine, and even some upscale taverns are selling it…”

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi’s face changed dramatically—this was no trivial matter.

At this time, the technology for purifying wine was poor; to supply such volume would require an enormous amount of military grain.

“Hahahahaha…”

Cao Pi suddenly burst out in wild, manic laughter.

To him, if this was exposed to his father and the incident blew up, his elder brother would be in deep trouble, if not ruined.

“Cao Ang, oh Cao Ang, you’re courting death—don’t blame me for what’s to come.”

Cao Pi’s face was grim, his mind made up. This time, he would carefully plot a deadly blow to Cao Ang’s back.